UN chief demands evidence for officials’ expulsion from Ethiopia
SMA NEWS – NEW YORK
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday urged authorities in Ethiopia to allow vital humanitarian work there to continue, following the recent decision to declare seven of the organization’s staff persona non grata and expel them from the country.
Guterres was addressing the Security Council, where he briefed on the growing needs in the north, stemming from the war in the Tigray region.
In the face of the immense crisis, the UN chief said all efforts should be focused on saving lives and avoiding a massive human tragedy.
“This makes last Thursday’s announcement by the Government of Ethiopia to expel seven senior UN officials – most of them humanitarian staff – particularly disturbing,” he told ambassadors.
The “unprecedented expulsion” is deeply concerning, he said, “because it relates to the core of relations between the UN and member states.”
Following the 30 September decision, the UN wrote to the Ethiopian government, stating that declaring a staff member persona non grata, and demanding they leave the territory, is inconsistent with a country’s obligation under the UN Charter.
The diplomatic note explained that should a government have any specific issues concerning individuals, the UN should be informed so that the secretary-general could take action where required.
“In other words, there is a proper, formal procedure – and that procedure was not followed,” said Guterres.
The UN will continue to work with the government and partners to support millions across the country who need assistance.
“I now call on Ethiopian authorities to allow us to do this without hindrance and to facilitate and enable our work with the urgency that this situation demands,” he said.
The secretary-general underlined the magnitude of the crisis in northern Ethiopia after nearly a year of fighting between federal troops and Tigray regional forces.
